Potato digger



SQPL 24. 1940. H. H. scHooLER 2,215,516

` POTATO BIGGER Filed-Nov. 14, 195s s sheets-sheet 1 FIGURE 6 FIGURE l Clttormgl HARRY H. SCHooLJER u Sept. 24, 1940. H, H. lscHQoLEF! 2,215,516

PoTATo DIGGER I Filed Nov. 14, 19258 2' Sheets-Sheet l 2 FIGURE 2 3 nvntor dltomcg Sept- 24. 1940- H. H. scHooLER 2,215,516

POTATO BIGGER Filed NOV. 14, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet l5 36 l. Il! Il lull@ j o 24 |7 28 Il o (o 27 l O0 D 3 V 42 s 26 39 B r f AA &\. l2 3T.' A (D s FIGURE 5 HARRY HSM-0mm l Blwcntor Petenied Sept. 2 4,

UNITED s'liAJE-sy PATENT OFFICE 2,215,516 ro'ra'ro mecca l v H. Schooier, Genesee, I if I Application November is, 193e, sei-iai No. staar:

-15 (ci. st sii My present invention relates to an-improved potato digger ofthe tractor-propelled type, which is provided with a plurality oi umts each of which includes a shovel-type plow, an endless elevator 5 or carrier, and an endless draper or slatted endless conveyer, together with means for sacking the potatoes of the uprooted crop. Inthe ac companying exemplitlcation of the invention I employ two units, one unit mounted atA each side of the tractor, with the plow section of each unit supported in a wheeled frame in front of they tractor. The rear, or delivery endsoi the laterally spaced unitsare also mounted on a wheeled frame or platform at the rear of the tractor, and- I 15 the sacking appliances are also mounted or located at the rear ends of the endless conveyer over the rear platform.

A single power-operated control mechanism is provided at the iront ofthe front frame `for lifting and vertically adjusting both of the digging units or plows, simultaneously,` and with facility,

in order that the tractor-propelled implement may be maneuvered readily in the field, and the plow-units may conveniently be lifted to inop- '25 erative position i'or transporting the implement to or from a eld.

Due to the compact and convenient arrangement of the various parts of the implement the latter is adapted to travel with the two endless traction belts of the tractor moving along parallel.

furrows in the ileld, and the two laterally disposed plowingumts are adapted to travel in alinement with two parallel hills or rows for uprooting the potatoes from the iield, thus providing an implement of unusually high capacity for Work.

It is a prime object of rnyinvention to provide a tractor-powered digger which canbe operated along one or more rows of potatoes, and per- 40 mitting the digging operation to be under the direct observation of the operator and be controlled to compensatefor variations in the rows, due to uneven planting.

Another object of the invention is to provide a DOWer digger which accomplishes the digging operation n advance of the power or traction means, whereby the possibility of mechanical damage to the potatoes may be eliminated.

A further object of the invention has been the provision of a compact unit for the support oi the machinery which can be readily attached to or detached from the tractor unit. e

A still further object of my invention has been the provision of a potato digger which, when attached to the power unit, compactly arranges the various digging, conveying, and sacking means in a manner so that each step of the operation is under immediate observation and control of the s operator of the tractor unit. v

A further object of my invention has been to 5 provide a'structure for supporting potato digging and'sacking means whereby said means may b e of the conventional type and readily adapted to my pusher-propelled supporting frame. f

Another and further object of my invention is .l0 to provide a tractor-powered digger which, being supported in advance of the tractor unit, will raise and lower in direct relation to the contour of -the ground over which the implement is passing, thereby insuring 'a uniformity in the depthv 15 to which the digger plow penetrates.

A further object of my invention is to provide a power-operated digger which is of simple construction and results in low cost Aof manufacture.

The invention consists in certain novel com- 20 binations and arrangements in this type of multiplow implement as will hereinafter be more fully pointed out and claimed.- -In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a dual or duplex plowing implement in which the parts are combined 25 and arranged in accordwith one mode I have thus far devised for the practical application of the principles of my invention, but it will be'un derstood thatchanges and alterations may be made and are. contemplated in these exempliilca- 8d tions, within the scope of my appended claims without departing from the principles of the invention.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an implement embodying my invention, showing the plows uplited. as

Figure3 is an enlarged perspective view at the 40 rear of one of the units, showing the duplex` bag (or sack) lholders vand the laterally adjustable means for feeding the potatoes to alternate sacks or bags.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail view in perspective 45 at the iront of the plow-frame, which is located in iront of the tractor, and showing one of the plows together with the single power-operated means, or. motor, for simultaneously liftingbotl, .j plows.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view at the front of the plow-frame, showing the plow-lifting motor and the lifting mechanism of-.one of the plows.

Figure 6 is a detail view illustrating the manner in whichl the elevating trough is connected slidably and pivotally to the lupright frame standards.

In order that the purpose and utility of the implement may readily be understood I have indicated in Figures 1 and 2 a conventional tractor T with the usual laterally spaced endless traction belts T and it will be understood that the fu'rrows in the potato field are spaced to 'accommodate these endless tracks or belts T. A horizontal main frame, for the plows, indicated bythe letter F, is pivoted at P on a suitable supporting part of the tractor, and this main frame, which is of general U-shape and braced, projects in front of the tractor with its front end supported bythe caster wheels W. The 'pivoted frame F may be raised or lowered on its pivotal supports P, with relation to the ground wheels or casters W, by means of the spindles S that are enclosed within the sleeves S of the wheel mounts and set bolts B are employed for holding the frame in adjusted position. Usually the frame F is adjusted to horizontal position as indicated in Figure 1.

The two laterally spaced plow units are located within the frame F, and these units arejontly supported b y the front or cross car of the frame F and the tractor T. The plow units are arranged at opposite sides of the tractor so that the plows or shovels I and 2 will be alined with adjoining parallel potato rows or hills in the ileld, and the plows or shovels passing longitudinally through the rows will lift or uproot the potatoes in the two plantedhills. 'Ihe driver of the implement who occupiesl the seat 3 mounted on the tractor,

steers or guides the vtractor to maintain the plows in alinement with the rows and the traction belts T in alinement with the furrows of the field.

These two plows I'and 2 deliver the uprootted crop to two endless, slatted, carriers or elevators 4 and 5, which as indicated in Figure 2 diverge rearwardly, and at the rear ends of these carriers their loads are deliveredto two parallel, endless,

slatted conveyors 6 and 1, that are mounted or supported in horizontal positions, and parallel,

one at each side of the tractor.

Inasmuch as the construction and arrangement of the left hand unit and-the right hand unit are complementary, the description of the construction of one unit will sufllce for both units of the multi-plow implement.

.-Sf lA lower ends of the troughs 8, 8 of the carriers 4 and 5. These upwardly inclined and outwardly diverging troughs are each slidably and pivotally supported by means of its slotted opening 8' at their rear upper ends on transversely extending horizontal shafts 9, 9, journaled in bearings at the upper ends of laterally spaced standards Ill, Ill

which, at their lower ends are rigidly mounted on the tractor, and braced by diagonals Illa.

' These shafts 9 are provided with supporting rollers for the endless carriers and sprocket wheels II to drive the endless carriers, the lower, idle flights ofthe carriers being supported on guide rollers I2 beneath the troughs, andan idle g5 'roller I3 is journaled at the front end of each trough to support the front or lower end of the carrier. A power-take-oi is indicated at I4 in Figure 1, and the chain-drives for the two endless carriers receive power from two sprocket chains 7o I5 to the driven sprockets I6, I6, for rotating the shafts 9, 9, to operate the carriers.

For lifting, or vertically adjusting, the two shovels and their carriers, and causing the troughs 8, 8, to swing on their rear, upper pivots 9, 9, a single, centrally located, power-operated motor or The plows are rigidly mounted at the front Y hydraulic jack I1 is mounted on the front end of the main frame F, and fluid under pressure is 'supplied from a pump or other suitable source, Athrough the supply pipe I8, under control of the lever I9 shown in Figure 1 where it is readily ac- 5 cessible to the driver occupying the seat 3.

The motor I1 includes a piston 20 (dotted lines Fig. 5) and an upwardly extending stem 2 I, which projects through the top of the motor cylinder or jack-cylinder, has pivoted at opposite sides of its Al0 free end two links 22 and 23. These links eX- tend downwardly at the'opposite sides of the motor or jack and at their lower ends they are pivoted to two crank arms 24, 24 which are rigidly mounted on a rock shaft 25 and provided with a l5 series of pivot holes'26 for adjustment in the variation of the throw of the crank arms, as desired.

The rock shaft 25 is journaled transversely of the implement in bearings 21 of the main frame 20 F, and upon the opposite ends of the rock shaft are rigidly ilxed two rocker arms 28 and 29, each rollers 3| that are journaled at 32 in the front 30 ends of the two Ibeams for the plow I and -2. Each of these plow beams includes a pair of rigidly united, but spaced side bars 33 and 34, which at their parallel front .portions form a slot in the front end of which a roller 3| is journaled, and in 35 which slot a rocker arm 28 or 29 may swing while bearing against a roller. These two bars 33 and 34 of a plow beam diverge rearwardly,fand their downwardly curved ends 35 and 36 are bolted at 31 to the troughs, near the shovels or plows, and 40 diagonal braces 35' and 36' unite the troughs rigidly with the beams. I' l Thusit will beapparent that the elevators or carriers with their plows, may be lifted from operative position through power transmitted 5 from the single hydraulic motor or jack, the rocker arms and rollers, from the lowered position of Figure 4 to a higher position in Figure 5, and to the uplifting position of Figure 1.

The plow units I and 2 are maintained in any 50 adjusted position, either raised as in Figure 1 or lowered as shown in Figure 4, by the closing of the valve controlling the flow of hydraulic fluid to or from the cylinder. As long as the fluid cannot flow to the cylinder, the plows will not 55 be raised, and by their own weight cannot be raised an appreciable degree due to changes in the terrain. The plows may only be lowered by permitting the fluid to escape from the cylinder back to its reservoir, and they will be dragged 60 further underground by the draft mechanism.

The plow units of course may be lowered by manipulation of the lever I9 for controlling the ',plow beams, the front endA of each draw bar being coupled at 39 in a bracket 40 having a series of holes 4I for adjusting the coupling, and

the rear end of each draw bar is pivoted at 42 to 75 a plowbeam. Thus as the tractor `propels the implement, including the front frame l" the plows` to the plows. With the plows lowered to position for shovel- I ing or scooping the potatoes from their hills, the

potatoes, vines and debris are passed from the plows to the inclined carriers, and under agitation from the slatted carriers some oi' the debris platform 4s is provided and supported from the The rear ends oi' the blades are pivotally sus-V is separated and dropped from the carriers, the remaining crop being dumped, continuously, from the carriers to the horizontal, endless-conveyers 6 and 1 for preliminary grading. f

Each of the conveyers is driven from a shaf 9 through a chain drive enclosed in the casing 43, which drive includes a sprocket 44` on the outer end of each of the shafts 9 and extends t'o com- -plementary sprockets and a roller ona counter'- shaft 45, and the rear end oi' each endless conveyer passes over driven sprocket wheelsV and a roller journaled in the'usual trough 48, asindicated at 41 in Figures land 3. j

On each side of the implement an exterior main frame F, and a semi-circular guard-rail 4l is used with each platform for the attendant 'who stands on the platform and hand-picks rocks,v debris,`and other undesired articles from the potato crop as it is conveyed to the rear of the impley ment.

For the disposal of dust,li ght vines and light debris, that are separated from the potato crop while in transit, I employ a collecting hood 50, one located directly over'each of the endless'conveyers 6 and 1, and suctionpipes 5I, 5i extend from these hoods to a central suction fan 52 sup,- ported at the rearof the tractor, whereby the collected debris is dropped back of the implement into a furrow of the field-as the implement progresses.

In order to place the potato crop in sacks or bags immediately, as the potatoes are discharged from the conveyers, I provide a. platform 53, supported from the rear of the tractor and also supported on wheels 54, 54. As indicated in Figure 2 this platform extends the full width of the implement for the convenience of attendants, Iwho bag, or sack the potatoes from both units o! the implement as the crop is discharged from the endless conveyers. u

Each unit has a dual or duplexarrangement oi' bag-holders as 55 and 58 mounted on a trough 46, upon which the bags 51 are suspended, and means are provided for feeding the potatoes from the conveyer, alternately, to the two bags, or sacks, in order that one sack or bag may be .receiving the potatoes while the other, iilled, sack may be tied up and re'moved from its holder to be replacedby another empty sack or bag.

For thispurpose two flat blades or deilectors 58 and 59 each having its front end loosely pivoted within anchoring plates B0, are employed, and these plates are attached on the inner sides of the trough '46 above the slatted conveyer as 1.

pended from the ends of the arms of an inverted U-shaped frame 6|.'whichis slidable on a horizontal frame bar62 extending transversely across and above the trough 46. The deilectingblades are moved simultaneously, by sliding the frame 6| on the cross bar 82, 'andasthe length of the the frame moves -one blade -as 58 into diagonal position and alined with the iixed guide 63 located between'v the two sacks. The other blade 59, by the same slide movement, ismoved against and parallel'with a side wall of the trough. v The 3- `diagonally disposed blade thus directs-the potatoes from the full width of the conveyer to the exit or discharge portion of the conveyer which is half the full width of the conveyer, and the potatoes 'are all deected into a single sack. l0'- After one sack is filled the frame 6l is slid to-v ward the other side of the trough, and then the second sack is filled, and so on.

Having thus fully described my. invention, what I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters 1I Patent is:

1. In a potato digger of the tractor-propelled type the combination with a front wheeled-frame having a rear support on the tractor, of an upwardly inclined trough and endless carrier and a 20l plow mounted at the lower front end of the trough, a horizontally disposed endless conveyer located at the rear of the carrier to receive potatoes therefrom, means for operating said carrier and said conveyer, said carrier-trough having 2# type, the combination with a tractor adapted to travel through parallel adjoining frrows, and a front main frame pivotally supported at its reary -end on said tractor, said main frame also having at its front end supporting caster-wheels, o! a pair of plows spaced to pass through adjoining hills, each of said plows having an upwardly inclined trough and an endless carrier mounted in each trough, a single power-operated motor mounted on the main frame, and mechanical connections from said motor to said plows forV lifting the latter. l,

3. In a potato digger 'of thetractor-propelled type, the combination with a tractor, a U-shaped frame pivotally connected with the tractor and front caster-wheels for the frame, and a power operated motor mounted at the front of the frame, of a pair of laterally spaced plows each having a rigid upwardly inclined trough and a .rear pivotal support for each trough, a beam for 'mounted at the rear of the tractor, of a pair of spaced troughs having their rear ends pivotally supported on the front frame adjacent its connection to said tractor, a plow rigidly mounted at the lower front end of each troughand an endless carrier moving in each trough, an endless conveyer mounted independently of the tractor at the rear of each carrier andfsaid conveyers terminating over the rear platform, means for vertically adjusting said fplo`ws, and means for operating said endless carriers and conveyers.

5. In aA potato digger of the tractor-propelled type. the combination with a front main frame 4having pivotal supports on' the tracton-ffront 70 caster-wheels, and super-structureladjacent its rear ends', of an upwardly inclined-trough having its rear end pivotally supported in `said superv `structure, a plow rigid with the front lo'wer en d of the trough, an endless .carrier traveling in 'I5 the trough and operating means therefor, and means for swinging the trough on its pivotal support to vertically adjust the plow.

6. In a potator digger of the tractor-propelled type, the combination with a front frame having rear pivotal supports and front whels, and a motor mounted on said frame, of an upwardly inclined trough slidably pivoted above said frame, a plow rigid with the front lower end of the trough, an endless carrier traveling in the trough and operating means therefor, a beam mounted on the plow, mechanical' connections between said beam and motor for swinging the trough to vertically adjust the plow, and a drawbar connected to said beam and said front frame to assist in the advancement of the plow through the ground.

7. The combination in a potato digger of the tractor-propelled type and including a front plow-frame, with a carrier-trough having a rear sliding pivotal support, and a plow rigidly mounted at the front end of the trough, of a plow-beam rigid with the trough and projecting forward adjustablel supporting means mounted on the frame for lifting theplow, and a draw bar pivotally connected to said beam and said the beam, and power-operated means mounted on the frame for co-action with the beam for lifting the plow.

9. In a multi-plow potato digger, the combination with -a frame, a pair of laterally spaced carrier-troughs pivotally supported at their rear ends, and a plow rigid with the front end of each trough, of a plow beam rigid with each trough and having a forwardly projecting frontend, a rock shaft mounted on the frame and a pair of rocker-arms mounted on the shaft for co-action with the front ends of the beams, and poweroperated means for rocking said shaft to lift the plows.

10. In a potato digger, the combination with a frame, a motor mounted thereon anda pair of lifting links mounted on and actuated by the motor, of a pair of laterally spaced carriertroughs having pivotally supported rear ends and a plow mounted at the front end of each trough, a plow beam rigid with each trough and having a slotted front end, an anti-friction roller journaled in each frontend of the beams, a rockf shaft having crank-arms pivotally connected to said links, and a pair of rocker arms mounted on the shaft,\movable through said slotted ends and cri-acting with said rollers to lift the plows.

11. In a potato digger of the tractor-propelled type, the combination with a front wheeledframe adapted to be supported at its rear end on the tractor, of digger and elevator means slidably and pivotally supported upon said frame, of a plow beam attached to said digging and elevating means and extending forwardly, a pivoted draft bar connectedbetween said frame and said plow beam, of conveyor means adjacent the discharge end of the elevator means, and means for operating said elevator and conveyor means.

12. In a potato digger of the tractor-propelled type, the combination with a U-shaped front wheeled frame adapted to be supported'at its rear end on the tractor, of digger and elevator means slidably and pivotally supported upon said frame, of a plow beam attached to said digging and elevating means and having an independent forward draft bar connecting it with said frame, of conveyor means adjacent the discharge end of the elevator means, and means for operating said elevator and conveyor means.

13. In a potato digger of the tractor-propelled type, the combination with a front wheeled frame adapted to be pivotally supported at its rear end on the tractor, of digger and elevator means slidably and pivotally supported upon said frame, of a plow beam attached to said digging and elevating means, means operable on Said beam to raise and lower the digger and elevating means, a forward draft bar connected to said beam and said frame, of conveyor means adjacent the discharge end of the elevator means, and means for operating said elevator and con- 14. In' a potato digger, the combination with a tractor, a U-shaped frame pivotally connected with thetractor and front caster wheels for the frame, and a power operated motor mounted at the front of the main frame, of a plow having a rigid upwardly inclined trough and a rear pivotal support for said trough, of a plow beam attached at its rear end to the trough and having a front slotted portion, a rocker arm mounted on the frame for the support of and co-action with said slotted portion, and means for actuating said rocker arm to lift the plow.

15. InA a potato digger, the combination with a tractor, a U shaped frame pivotally connected with the tractor and front caster wheels for the frame, and a power operated motor mounted at the front of the main frame, of a plow having a rigid upwardly inclined trough and a rear pivotal support for said trough, of a plow beam rigid with the trough and plow, a draw bar pivotally' connecting said beam and frame, said beam having a front slotted portion and an antifriction roller mounted therein, a rocker arm mounted on thev frame and frictionally engaging said roller, and means for rocking the arm to lift the plow.

' HARRY H. SCHOOLER. 

